Coming off a gut-wrenching 1-2 home loss last week to the Washington Spirit, the Portland Thorns returned to Providence Park looking to return to winning ways.
The Chicago Stars came into town allowing five or more goals in three of their past four matches and last in the NWSL table. To make matters even worse for the visitors, they were without Mallory Swanson (hip).
Jayden Perry was suspended due to yellow card accumulation and Isa Obaze remained out with a hamstring injury, leaving the home side without two of its center-backs.
HOME SUNDAY XI 💅 pic.twitter.com/4ULSkFys41
— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) September 13, 2026
In lieu of CB availability, Reyna Reyes moved to the starting XI for the first time since August 2 – a span of five matches. Carolyn Calazada shifted from FB to central defense.
Head coach Robert Vilahamn all but assured that Pietra Tordin would move to the 10 with the improving health of his wingers. She lined up alongside Jessie Fleming and Nina Nijstad.
With the playoff chase heating up, this was a must-win match for Portland Thorns.
Recap
Could PTFC take care of business or fall into the NWSL trap?
First half
The Portland Thorns came out on the front foot and employed their high-press and counter-press on many occasions with Chicago Stars content to sit in a lower block.
This created a first half that lacked cohesiveness, flow, or action.
The struggles in the final third were prevalent in the first half for the home side. The majority of their turnovers occurred in the final third, preventing many sequences from becoming quality chances.
Although the home side were the better team in the first half, the only difference was a own goal in the 23rd minute.
Every rose has its edge and the Thorns strike first 🌹 pic.twitter.com/doSVOE9vQq
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 13, 2026
If you looked at the metrics in the first half, you would assume PTFC outplayed the lowly Chicago Stars and you would be partially correct.
However, that's exactly what the visitors wanted... could the home side break down the low block and create? At least in the first half, that answer was a no.
Fortunately for Portland, their opposition lacked the firepower to make them pay in transition even when they were caught up the pitch.
Second half
If you wanted to see more uninspired play of PTFC football, this was the half for you.
The team went to search for their second goal, but it never came.
The Thorns have been unable to figure out the final product in the last third and it continued to cost them in the half. Even after tallying 14 more shots, they could not find their first goal in the run-of-play in over three games.
The Chicago Stars continued to sit back and hammer on the counter with multiple chances and finally it happened.
The box defending issues which have been a recurring all season long, came to roost once again.
In second half stoppage time, Taylor Wood headed home the equalizer for the visitors.
Taylor Wood gets her first career NWSL goal in added time to cap off a classic Sunday Night Fúbol! pic.twitter.com/iXNCDLQIqx
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 14, 2026
A team that had given up 19 goals in their past four games, held one of the most star-studded frontlines to a mere own goal.
Although it ended up in a 1-1 draw, it sure felt like a loss in one of the worst performances of the year.
Reaction
At this point in the season, you have to ask the Portland Thorns why they have issues closing out matches.
They've now dropped 21 points from winning positions – the most in the NWSL by a considerable margin.
What does that tell you? The style of counterattacking football puts too much stress on the backline and doesn't allow for control of matches needed to finish off games.
Another issue? Box defending. The team has mentioned this time and time again, every single week. And it still hasn't improved enough.
The biggest concern? The attack has hit a wall. PTFC have not scored a goal in the run-of-play in over three matches. The decision-making and touches in the final third have eluded them over and over.
At this point in the season, there are far more questions than answers...
Highlights
4' Portland Thorns earn first corner kick of the match - Fleming delivers.
4' First shot of the game goes to Soph Wilson
8' Off a pass from Pietra Tordin, Nina Nijstad fires off a shot, but can't hit it cleanly and it goes wide.
11' Another corner kick for PTFC.
12' Corner kick for PTFC - it's taken short to Tordin. Multiple shots on goal leads to another one.
13' Portland Thorns second consecutive corner
14' Corner for Chicago Stars
17' Calzada races back and denies the cross into the box
18' Corner for Chicago Stars
22' PTFC Corner
23' 1-0 Portland Thorns | Off a recycled corner kick, Fleming plays it back into the box and Maitane deflects back into her goal.
24' Maitane picks up a yellow card for a foul on Pietra Tordin
28' Calzada's speed saves the day - her intervention
28' Jenna Bike records the vistors' first shot of the match
31' Reyna Reyes gets to the ball first, but her clearance attempt is mishit and goes for a Chicago corner.
33' Nina Nijstad has multiple crosses into the box, but no Thorn can get on the end of it.
34' Fleming's long-range blast goes directly at Alyssa Naeher
39' Michelle Alozie nearly beats the entire backline, but Sam Hiatt makes a last-ditch tackle to prevent the shot.
40' Corner for the visitors
44' Soph's chip out wide find its mark to Turner, the low-driven cross is somehow snuffed out by Naeher.
45' Soph attempts to play it across goal to a wide-open Turner, but it's Naeher once again.
45' PTFC Corner
45' + One minute of stoppage time
45" + 2 Soph plays it to the top of the box to an unmarked Nijstad, but her shot is blocked...
HT - Morgan Weaver stays down at the half... She is able to get up and walk off on her own.
46' Caiya Hanks on for Morgan Weaver
51' Visitors Corner Kick - Sam Staab's header goes wide
56' Taylor Wood's cross into the box finds Bea Franklin's header which goes wide for Chicago Stars
61' Fantastic sequence ends with a Pietra Tordin shot. It's not clean enough.
61' Julia Grosso's long ball finds Alozie who beats M.A. Vignola. Mackenzie Arnold bails out the defense.
65' Hanks' shot is blocked and rebound from Soph is wide.
68' Corner for Chicago Stars
80' Marie Müller and Shae Harvey on for Reilyn Turner and Reyna Reyes
81' Both Tordin and Harvey have their shots blocked
84' Grosso lays the ball back to the top of the box to an unmarked Emma Egizii who sails the shot over the bar.
90' Mallie Mackenzie on for M.A. Vignola who leaves the pitch limping
90' +1 Corner kick for the visitors
90' +2 1-1 | Chicago Stars' Taylor Wood's header equalizes off Emma Egizii's delivery
